“Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” — Stephen R. Covey, from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989). Covey (1932–2012) was an educator, leadership consultant, and internationally recognized author.

Technical expertise may earn engineers a seat at the table, but communication earns them influence.

The engineers who are most respected by colleagues, managers, and executives consistently communicate with clarity, credibility, and purpose.

Below are three habits of highly respected engineers that you should emulate:

They Communicate with Clarity Instead of Complexity

Highly respected engineers translate technical information intoa language their audience can easily understand. They use words and phrases the audience will understand.

Rather than overwhelming listeners with specifications, equations, and jargon, focus on the key message and explain why it matters.

Tailor your explanations to your audience’s level of technical knowledge. To do this, discover your audience’s level of knowledge before you utter a word in your presentation. This is key to a successful presentation.

Executives want business impact, project managers want schedules and risks, and fellow engineers often need the technical details behind the recommendation. In a mixed audience, you need to give each category what they expect.

Organize information logically by presenting the problem, the proposed solution, and the expected outcome. The expected outcome must positively affect something important to your audience.

This structure helps audiences follow complex ideas and make informed decisions with confidence. Prove your case with just enough data to make your point. It is hard for your audience to refute hard data.

One habit of highly respected engineers is to communicate with clarity instead of complexity.

Another habit of highly respected engineers is to listen before they speak.

They Listen Before They Speak

Respected engineers recognize that communication begins with understanding the audience.

Ask thoughtful questions to uncover concerns, priorities, and expectations before presenting your recommendations.

During discussions, actively listen rather than mentally preparing your next response. If you do the latter, you will miss what is truly important to your audience.

Always pause for a few seconds before you answer an audience question. This gives you time to fully understand the question and formulate a logical answer.

By acknowledging questions and summarizing what they have heard, you demonstrate respect and build trust. Use active listening. Rephrase the question in your vernacular and then ask the questioner if you interpreted it correctly.

Welcome constructive feedback rather than becoming defensive. Positive or negative feedback will accelerate the success of future presentations on the same subject.

This openness improves collaboration, strengthens relationships, and often leads to better technical solutions. When you acknowledge feedback, you are affirming your audience.

Two habits of highly respected engineers are to communicate with clarity rather than complexity and to listen before speaking.

A third habit is to communicate with confidence and professionalism.

They Communicate with Confidence and Professionalism

Highly respected engineers present their ideas with confidence grounded in preparation rather than ego. The more preparation they do, the more confident the audience will be in what they say.

Support your recommendations with evidence while remaining open to adjusting your conclusions as new information becomes available. Carefully consider other people’s opinions.

Respected engineers’ verbal and nonverbal communication reinforce credibility. Their tone of voice and body language are self-assured and convey knowledge of the topic rather than haughtiness.

Calm delivery, steady eye contact, deliberate pacing, and confident posture help others believe in both the message and the messenger.

There is no better way to instill confidence in yourself than to practice incessantly. Practice is the critical skill for preparing for a successful presentation.

Respected engineers follow through on their commitments and consistently communicate progress. When you do this, you will stand out from other technical speakers.

Reliability in communication builds a reputation that is just as valuable as technical expertise. People always consult with engineers who do what they say they will do.

Studies have shown that the ability to communicate clearly, confidently, and completely contributes up to eighty (80) percent of the advancement in your career. Believe it or not.

The engineers who earn the greatest respect are rarely those with the highest IQ alone.

They are the professionals who communicate clearly, listen carefully, and consistently demonstrate confidence, integrity, and professionalism in every interaction.

Highly respected engineers are promoted faster, see their salaries increase at an accelerated rate, and enjoy greater esteem from their direct reports, peers, and supervisors.

Follow the three habits covered in this article and reap the benefits.

Call to Action

• Organize information logically by presenting the problem, the proposed solution, and the expected outcome. The expected outcome must positively affect something important to your audience.

• Ask thoughtful questions to uncover concerns, priorities, and expectations before presenting your recommendations.

• Support your recommendations with evidence while remaining open to adjusting your conclusions as new information becomes available. Carefully consider other people’s opinions.

“I’ve never met anyone in any field who was successful who wasn’t a good communicator.” — Paul E. Gray (1932–2017), electrical engineer and the 14th President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

References

• Gallo, Carmine. Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World’s Top Minds. St. Martin’s Press, 2014.

• Duarte, Nancy. Resonate: Present Visual Stories That Transform Audiences. John Wiley & Sons, 2010.

• Brown, Brené. Dare to Lead. Random House, 2018.

• Covey, Stephen R. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Free Press, 1989.

• Edmondson, Amy C. The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth. John Wiley & Sons, 2019.

Being a confident, engaging, and effective STEM speaker is a vital personal and professional asset. With more than 40 years of engineering experience and more than 30 years of award-winning public speaking experience, I can help you reduce your presentation preparatory time by 50%, overcome your fear of public speaking and be completely at ease, deliver your presentations effectively, develop your personal presence with your audience; and apply an innovative way to handle audience questions deftly.

Working closely with you, I provide a customized protocol employing the critical skills and tools you need to create, practice, and deliver excellent STEM speeches and presentations. Let’s connect and explore how I can help you become the exceptional speaker you were meant to be. Please reach out to me at [email protected] or 703-509-4424 for a complimentary consultation. Schedule a meeting with me at calendly.com/frankdibartolomeospeaks